CO2 vs HPA/LPA. Which is best for pump?

Well, been getting this question a bit lately, and someone (blood_on_blood) recommended someone make a thread about it to help people decide.

So... you're new to pump, and you've chosen a gun after reading my other thread and can't decide if you should use CO2 or Compressed Air (CA from now on)? Read on and you can make a more informed decision.

Basics on the Gases
CO2, or Carbon Dioxide, is the most widely known compressed gas in use with paintball. It's been used since the infancy of the sport from the size of 12g all the way up past 20oz tanks. It is actually filled as a liquid and then expands in to a gas when used.

CA, or compressed air, is just that. A compressor compresses (shocker) air into a container, ranging from 3000 PSI (pounds per square inch) and up.

CA is not as effected by changes in temperature as CO2 is.

CO2
CO2 is readily available at most fields and hardware stores, and is cheap to fill. As has been stated, CO2 is actually a liquid that expands into a gas.

Because of this fact, it is possible to have liquid CO2 flow in to your marker if held so that the tank is higher then the marker. When this is done, the liquid, and not the gas, is shot, thus reducing efficiency.

CO2 is rather susceptible to changes in temperature. When it gets colder, the liquid doesn't change in to a gas as quickly as when it is hot outside. This is why many players use expansion chambers in colder weather. Expansion chambers are little chambers that give CO2 just that much more room to fully expand into a gas, therefor increasing efficiency. It also can cause a sharp increase in velocity, which is unsafe.

There is something you can add to CO2 tanks called an "anti-siphon valve". This is basically a straw put in to a tanks valve in a way so that when a tank is laying horizontally, only gas, not liquid, co2 can enter the valve, thereby reducing the chance of liquid co2 in your marker.

CO2 canisters come in many sizes, from small 12g capsules used in stock class, to large 20oz tanks, and more.

Efficiency with CO2 depends on the marker, setup, temperature, and other factors.

Compressed Air (CA)

Compressed air is the standard for most higher level markers as there is no liquid CO2 to freeze and harm the internals of markers. Again, most fields are able to fill compressed air.

Compressed air isn't effected nearly as much to temperature changes as CO2 is, and as such is more consistent in colder weather, which is why many people in northern states prefer to use them in the winter as opposed to CO2.

Compressed air tanks tend to cost more than CO2 tanks, as they include a first stage regulator to help control the flow of the high pressure gases, and have a pressure gauge on them as well.

Most CA tanks are refered to by a couple of numbers, like 47/3000 or 45/4500. These can also be written as 47/3 and 45/45 respectively.

What these numbers mean are the size and pressure the tanks are built to contain.

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i want to put a co2 valve on a 48/3k hpa tank. if i was to do this correctly, would a field fill it?

Depends on the field. If the field is knowledgeable (meaning they understand HPA and Co2 very well, and will not refuse to do something out of ignorance) it shouldn't be a problem. Co2 doesn't reach as high of pressure as the HPA tank, because a Co2 valve usually has lower rated burst discs. I have seen Co2 tanks from PMI/Kee with 3000 psi burst discs. But there is no safety issue with putting Co2 in a HPA tank with the proper valve and safety's on it. And on the other hand, it is safe to put HPA in a Co2 tank as long as it is not filled past the tanks rated pressure, which is stamped on the tank. Just make sure you know exactly what you are doing and how to do it properly when installing the valve. If you have any doubt (no matter how small) about your competence, have an airsmith do it.

The tanks we use on paintball guns, do not care what is filling them to a given pressure, just that the pressure matches the cylinder.

I put a co2 valve on a 68/3k steely. Well, its an Al tank, but thats not important.

It gets filled, its in hydro. Its heavy as hell too, I run it remote with a tippmann. I run a 3.5oz with my pump cause its cheap as hell.

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Originally Posted by Poopresearch
How many "looks like an shoebox shocker and karni had a baby" threads does it take to prove most paintballers are idiots?IMP Parts Sale!

There is something you can add to CO2 tanks called an "anti-siphon valve". This is basically a straw put in to a tanks valve in a way so that when a tank is laying horizontally, only gas, not liquid, co2 can enter the valve, thereby reducing the chance of liquid co2 in your marker.

Should add that anti-siphon valves are specific to the ASA that was used to fit them due to the threads not being cut the same. If one ASA aligns the tank so that the anti-siphon valve is pointing up, another may very well align it so that it is pointing down. Something to consider if you have more than one asa (several guns, upgrade down the road, etc.) and only one tank.